Description: Bring your wireless internet-enabled laptop to explore new technologies that enable world language learners to experience the three modes of communication online. Learn new ways to interact with others, to interpret and provide feedback, and to present new information to others. Web 2.0 tools provide the platform so come explore the possibilities!
Logistics and Introduction My name is (name) and I teach (level and language). I am like a (object) because (your imagination required here).
Challenge - Use the Creative Commons search and find a visual representation of your object. Did you know? In Firefox 3.0, Creative Commons search is one of the toolbar search options.
21st century learners and 21st century learning
What kinds of communication spaces have existed through time?
How has knowledge and information been shared?
How has schooling changed?
Who are our students? A Vision of K-12 Students Today
Modes of Communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational
What can we ask students to create to show what they know and are able to do?
Cognitive Taxonomy Circle
On the American Psychological Association website there is a brief article about Bloom’s taxonomy. The website briefly discusses the original Bloom’s as well as recent iterations of the past 8 years. An interesting diagram is the Cognitive Taxonomy Circle developed by Clark (2002). This visual can provide ideas on products students can create and produce.
Gathering Information
Who are you? Ever need to gather information about your students AND have it at your digital fingertips? Collect it through either a Google Docs Form (and spreadsheet) or a Survey Monkey free survey. Let's collect a little information about our group!
Looking for an easy scheduling tool? Check out Doodle. Doodle allows you to easily set up meetings, create sign-up slots, quickly gather simple data, etc. Participate in this sample!
Digital Storytelling VoiceThread allows you to upload graphics, photos, video and add text, audio, and/or video commentary. You can set preferences to allow others to comment as well. VoiceThread is an interesting, easy to use web-based environment for digital storytelling and there is an education portal. Langwitchesdescribes how she used it with her students and how to get started.
You may find this VoiceThread Tutorial movie informative to get started also.
Read more about how educators are using VoiceThread.
Embedded example: During the workshop we listened to the story (comprehensible input, with personalizing questions, retelling the story, etc). Then, participants practiced retelling the story by adding comments to the VoiceThread:
Comiqs allows you to create comic strips using your own photos which you can then embed into websites, wikis, blogs or social networking sites. Comiqs can easily pull in your flickr photos. Pikistrips allow you to create comic strips from your photos. Toondooallows you to create your own comic characters and comic strips.
BubblePLY - Allows you to add speech and thought bubbles to any online video. Great for drawing students' attention to specific features of a video clip, for encouraging them to use their language skills to comment on the content of the video by having them insert them
Brochuremaker doesn't have an especially pretty interface, but you can replace the generic photos and it is easy to add and edit text.
Cell Phone Poll Everywhere - vote or provide input via cell phone text messaging Gcast - creating audio files via cell phone. Files can be listened to on the gcast website or embedded in other websites (like a blog or this wiki). Tatango - text messaging to a group - Go to this url, add your phone number, and we will try it!
Jott- respond to email via cell phone, creates lists and memos, reminders, and more
Utterz- mobile post from your cell phone to your blog
Audio and Video Conferencing
Skype allows you to make free calls over the internet to anyone else who also has Skype. It's free,easy to download and use, and it works with most computers. You have the options of a text chat, an audio chat, a video chat, or all of the options at one time. You can record your chats, expand the conversations with extra tools, and more. You also have the option to have group conversations with up to 20 participants. Note - you cannot have video during a conference call. Here is one teacher's experience using Skype with a school in Caracas.
Elluminate has free conferencing for up to 3 users, and you can purchase the product for larger numbers.
Assessment (general) MyStudiyo enables you to create online quizzes Rubistar allows you to create rubrics as well as search their database of existing rubrics
Video Streaming ustream.tv provides one way streaming video (from you to the world), with protected private rooms and public channels, and a chat area for backchannel conversation.
Collaborative Projects
Finding projects to join can be challenging. At the following websites you will find a variety of projects. If you are new to collaborative projects, join a simple project. After experiencing a few projects perhaps you can become an organizer and create one for others to join!
Collaborative Space: Wikis
A wiki is a type of website where multiple authors can be designated to edit and create content. Wikis have discussion pages, history to view previous edits, and can be public, semi-private, or private.
And, need help? Check out the video tours of Wikispaces to learn how to begin editing your page, add images and media, and personalize your space.
Blogs
A blog is simply a website that has an author(s) who publishes some content, then has a place where others can comment on the content. Posts are on one page, appearing in reverse chronological order. A blog website may have additional pages as well.
Podcasts
Podcasts are simply audio files published online. They have to be published to somewhere - a blog, a wiki, a webpage. Podcasts can be listened to online or downloaded to a computer and/or mp3 player.
Edorigami has rubrics for a variety of digital technologies, including wikis.
Quick reference and Utilities
Copyright Information
Fair use, photos, publishing, distance networks - there are many ways to create and publish content, as well as remix or mashup existing content. As educators, we are responsible to demonstrate appropriate copyright.
Here are two interactive copyright activities: JISC uses scenarios and is more relevant to post-secondary; Cyberbee uses simple questions and answers.
Where can you find materials to use? Creative Commons - an excellent starting point, where you can search popular sites for items that give permission for use. Library of Congress - has terrific collections of artifacts
Web-based Video and Photo Editing Jumpcut - Allows free, online video editing Picnik and SnipShot provide free photo editing
Screen Capture Jing will enable you to capture all or part of your screen in a still shot, or capture you screen in action (thereby creating a brief video). It is free!
Logistics and Introduction
Challenge - Use the Creative Commons search and find a visual representation of your object. Did you know? In Firefox 3.0, Creative Commons search is one of the toolbar search options.
21st century learners and 21st century learning
Who are our students?
A Vision of K-12 Students Today
Modes of Communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational
What can we ask students to create to show what they know and are able to do?
Cognitive Taxonomy Circle
On the American Psychological Association website there is a brief article about Bloom’s taxonomy. The website briefly discusses the original Bloom’s as well as recent iterations of the past 8 years. An interesting diagram is the Cognitive Taxonomy Circle developed by Clark (2002). This visual can provide ideas on products students can create and produce.
Gathering Information
This French teacher uses a Google Form to collect data from students watching a film and this German teacher collected information about her students.
If your students are going to collect and analyze data, here is a possible
Looking for an easy scheduling tool? Check out Doodle. Doodle allows you to easily set up meetings, create sign-up slots, quickly gather simple data, etc.
Digital Storytelling
Langwitchesdescribes how she used it with her students and how to get started.
You may find this VoiceThread Tutorial movie informative to get started also.
Read more about how educators are using VoiceThread.
Embedded example: During the workshop we listened to the story (comprehensible input, with personalizing questions, retelling the story, etc). Then, participants practiced retelling the story by adding comments to the VoiceThread:
Check out this day in a thread project.
Here is a student example in Chinese and a student sample about the zodiac animals.
This example has a teacher record a speech sample and the students repeat and record and here students can hear colors.
A simple use for French vocabulary on professions and a story in Spanish about a horse.
Or, use VoiceThread to introduce yourself to your parents and students as this French teacher did.
Voki creates an avatar to which the individual gives voice. Here is a French example and a German example.
BubblePLY - Allows you to add speech and thought bubbles to any online video. Great for drawing students' attention to specific features of a video clip, for encouraging them to use their language skills to comment on the content of the video by having them insert them
Scrapblog takes scrapbooking online. Spanish example.
Brochuremaker doesn't have an especially pretty interface, but you can replace the generic photos and it is easy to add and edit text.
Cell Phone
Jott- respond to email via cell phone, creates lists and memos, reminders, and more
Utterz- mobile post from your cell phone to your blog
Audio and Video Conferencing
Skype allows you to make free calls over the internet to anyone else who also has Skype. It's free,easy to download and use, and it works with most computers. You have the options of a text chat, an audio chat, a video chat, or all of the options at one time. You can record your chats, expand the conversations with extra tools, and more. You also have the option to have group conversations with up to 20 participants. Note - you cannot have video during a conference call. Here is one teacher's experience using Skype with a school in Caracas.
Read Cool Cat Teacher Tips for Skype in the Classroom for one teacher's experience getting started with Skype and Wesley Fryer's Tools for the Teks for a more technical article if you happen to be having technical difficulties (this article is a bit dated, but the info is still applicable). School Library Journal has a nice article in See me, Hear me: Skype in the Classroom.
Elluminate has free conferencing for up to 3 users, and you can purchase the product for larger numbers.
Assessment (general)
MyStudiyo enables you to create online quizzes
Rubistar allows you to create rubrics as well as search their database of existing rubrics
Video Streaming
ustream.tv provides one way streaming video (from you to the world), with protected private rooms and public channels, and a chat area for backchannel conversation.
Collaborative Projects
Finding projects to join can be challenging. At the following websites you will find a variety of projects. If you are new to collaborative projects, join a simple project. After experiencing a few projects perhaps you can become an organizer and create one for others to join!
Collaborative Space: Wikis
A wiki is a type of website where multiple authors can be designated to edit and create content. Wikis have discussion pages, history to view previous edits, and can be public, semi-private, or private.
Ah-Bon French middle school wiki
Bishop Blog Wiki is a high school Spanish teacher's wiki
David Warlick's CoLearners shows how a presenter can put presentations, notes, handouts, and invite participants.
Dorman Data Digest is a history or social studies teacher's wiki
LanguageLinks2006 and specifically the Intern Level Methods shows how wikis can be an interactive tool for World Language Methods courses
Latin wiki - high school
Mme Mina Kim, French Teacher, has a fantastic wiki.
Mme Thomas French class wiki
Youth Wiki is a collaborative project across several schools
So if students are creating wikis, how can you assess them? Vicki Davis has a wiki grading rubric and Read*Write*Think has a wiki rubric and interesting lesson on protest songs.
Ready to start your own wiki? Visit this page to get the advertisement-free wikispace.
And, need help? Check out the video tours of Wikispaces to learn how to begin editing your page, add images and media, and personalize your space.
Blogs
A blog is simply a website that has an author(s) who publishes some content, then has a place where others can comment on the content. Posts are on one page, appearing in reverse chronological order. A blog website may have additional pages as well.
classroom-focused blogs
K-107 Internet Classroom - Chinese classroom blog
deutschlernen - a unversity level German class blog
How Beautiful You Are - a first grade classroom in California (caution - sound automatically plays)
Kinderkids Classroom - kindergarten blog in a New Hampshire school
Kirklandneuk Primary Blog - French class in a UK primary school
Las Palabras Son Poder - a high school Spanish teacher blog
Mr. Mayo Student Weblogs - each student has his or her own blog
Songhai Concepts - a Philadelphia information technology class blog
Two Stars and a Wish - French class blog from Newport, Isle of Wright, middle school level (more or less)
TGS MFL Resource and Homework Blog - French and German class blog
education-focused blogs
Moving at the Speed of Creativity
Cool Cat Teacher
David Warlick's $.02 worth
The Fischbowl
Mr. P's Blog - a principal's blog
Weblogged
Establish classroom blogs and blogs for students at Class Blogmeister (created and maintainted by David Warlick) or Edublogs.
Podcasts
Podcasts are simply audio files published online. They have to be published to somewhere - a blog, a wiki, a webpage. Podcasts can be listened to online or downloaded to a computer and/or mp3 player.
K12 Online Conference 2008 with Laurie Fowler is actually a conference presentation where she explains how she uses podcasts on gcast and has some suggestions on getting started with podcasts, and here is her podcast for her 2nd grade class called Ready, Set, Think!.
GroveFM is an elementary podcast at gcast.
Edorigami has rubrics for a variety of digital technologies, including wikis.
Quick reference and Utilities
Copyright InformationFair use, photos, publishing, distance networks - there are many ways to create and publish content, as well as remix or mashup existing content. As educators, we are responsible to demonstrate appropriate copyright.
Here are two interactive copyright activities: JISC uses scenarios and is more relevant to post-secondary; Cyberbee uses simple questions and answers.
Technology & Learning Magazine has a great article about copyright and a handy chart (PDF).
Where can you find materials to use?
Creative Commons - an excellent starting point, where you can search popular sites for items that give permission for use.
Library of Congress - has terrific collections of artifacts
Need an easy way to create citations? Use Citation Machine.
Visit this page for additional copyright safe materials.
Web-based Video and Photo Editing
Jumpcut - Allows free, online video editing
Picnik and SnipShot provide free photo editing
Screen Capture
Jing will enable you to capture all or part of your screen in a still shot, or capture you screen in action (thereby creating a brief video). It is free!